Shop ac

[pockets]

I'm looking for a small ac unit for use when I'm in the garage working. I've heard that the "swamp cooler" style doesn't work well in humid climates (I'm in Oklahoma) and I dont think the wife or neighbors would appreciate a window unit which happens to face the front of the house.

Any suggestions? All the spot coolers I've looked at are in the 4 figure price range, far too much. It doesn't even really have to cool the entire garage, something big enough to blow some cold air in my direction would make me
happy. As it is fans just blow hot air around and don't do a whole lot.
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[Shane]

check craigslist in your area for used split units ... or maybe even give your local HVAC guy a ring and ask if he knows of anything that will work for you. you'd be surprised at some of the stuff these guys scrap when they install new units in homes.

[pockets]

I found a few that are classified as portable units. looks like the size of a small trashcan, and use a hose to vent to window, which would work for me I think. Anyone use one of these?

[Shane]

A friend of mine used one of those at his lake house for one summer. It pretty much sucked and he sold it.

Can you cut a hole in the back side of your garage so a window unit will be out of sight?

[nate_g_2003]

you can get misting fans that operate on the same principle as the swamp/evaporative coolers. They even sell kits to convert non-misting fans over to misting.

Most swamp coolers will run 4 figures unfortunately. I'd bypass "portable" AC units, as those are highly ineffecient for cooling purposes, especially in a shop/garage. They do make smaller swamp coolers, but those will probably run high as well.

[GCncsuHD]

Originally Posted by Shane

check craigslist in your area for used split units ... or maybe even give your local HVAC guy a ring and ask if he knows of anything that will work for you. you'd be surprised at some of the stuff these guys scrap when they install new units in homes.

This, my dad is a HVAC contractor and he regularly comes across older but good working units that people just want replaced. This is how he put AC in his shop.

Originally Posted by Shane

Can you cut a hole in the back side of your garage so a window unit will be out of sight?

This is how my shop is done, framed out a "window" in the back of the shop and installed a large window unit, works great.

[pockets]

Originally Posted by Shane

A friend of mine used one of those at his lake house for one summer. It pretty much sucked and he sold it.

Can you cut a hole in the back side of your garage so a window unit will be out of sight?

I rent, so cutting is a no-no. even if I owned the house, two sides of the garage are brick and the third side is the house

[cdowns]

i like acrossflow thru the eves( with a whole house fan type setup), of the garages and shops that i've had that didnt have central air// moving all the super hot air that collects up high helps alot in the comfort level on the ground floor

[VWBeamer]

I had one, save your money. They are loud, they are inefficient, and they don't cool much.

Originally Posted by pockets

I found a few that are classified as portable units. looks like the size of a small trashcan, and use a hose to vent to window, which would work for me I think. Anyone use one of these?

[VWBeamer]

Just had an idea. Maybe you could get a window unit, and sit on the ground ( or maybe on some 4 X 4 wood pieces) in the garage door way.

Then close the door on it, find some spare wood to close off the open area around it.

You can take it in when not in use so it doesn't look so bad when you are not using it.

Plus you can get a cheap one at Walmart or where ever for under $200. I would get the biggest one that you could afford and that would run off 110 volts.

[pockets]

Originally Posted by VWBeamer

Just had an idea. Maybe you could get a window unit, and sit on the ground ( or maybe on some 4 X 4 wood pieces) in the garage door way.

Then close the door on it, find some spare wood to close off the open area around it.

You can take it in when not in use so it doesn't look so bad when you are not using it.

Plus you can get a cheap one at Walmart or where ever for under $200. I would get the biggest one that you could afford and that would run off 110 volts.

that's not a bad idea. I might give that a try.

[motornut]

I bought a second door for the rear of my garage and cut/put a big shop fan in it.Cause i was renting too.In the hot humid nights i would turn this on and open the door to the house and it would pull air threw one bedroom window i had open, all threw the house to the garage.Quite a breeze, I've since moved and sold it but use the same idea at our trailer with a big 18 inch comercial grade fan pointing outside (away from me)and open a window (1) where i am.Then the air will flow by you and cool you.

we also use this outside to give a nice breeze while on the deck,bugs can't track your heat signature.......looking for pic

[pockets]

I tried something similar yesterday. however after a while the aroma (otherwise known to the wife as the "smell") of the garage seeped into the house and put an end to that experiment. It did cool it off a few degrees though.

[motornut]

narrow it down to 1 window in might be to much flow coming from the other windows

[rcrahn]

I cut a hole in the wall and installed an 8000 BTU LG unit. Sells at Home Depot for $199. The walls and roof are insulated so it does the job.
http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-...3#BVRRWidgetID

[pockets]

not sure what you mean. There is just the door from the utility room to the garage. that is where I had the fan, but enough air got around the fan and back in to the house.

[pockets]

Originally Posted by rcrahn

I cut a hole in the wall and installed an 8000 BTU LG unit. Sells at Home Depot for $199. The walls and roof are insulated so it does the job.
http://www.homedepot.com/Appliances-...3#BVRRWidgetID

cutting holes is out of the question for me.

[nate_g_2003]

Here is one of the misting kits I mentioned. It just hooks up to a standard water hose, and you clip it to the front of the fan.

I know it is pricey, but you could probably rig something similar up with stuff from the hardware store or Home Depot/Lowes.

[pockets]

Originally Posted by nate_g_2003

Here is one of the misting kits I mentioned. It just hooks up to a standard water hose, and you clip it to the front of the fan.

I know it is pricey, but you could probably rig something similar up with stuff from the hardware store or Home Depot/Lowes.

that might be tempting, but part of my problem now is there is too much humidity

[cdowns]

misting water in a shop sounds like a great rust promotion for tools equipment and vehicles

[mbgmike]

if you can find someone that has the big old flat ones like motels have you can lay it on a dolly pull the door down and roll it in when not using. I have done that. The small portables don't work to good here. 90% up hum. like said see some ac guys or demo companies that may have some working units. I have a 15,000 btu ac in my garage at home and I still have to run a dehumidifier to get it nice. mornings and noon ok but about 4 to 5 you don't hang out by the big doors

[motornut]

when it was in the door it was one with the louvers that opened
this fan is an 18 inch comercial grade"it says"
that one window is opened and the fan blows out
at the other end we open the two windows over each bed and he freezes lol crawls way under the sheets to keep warm
the air blowing over you will cool you cause of the sweat sounds gross but it works
you may need to block the rest of the gap in the door....the windows are only 2X2